Secret to Happiness

Life is short, yet so many things happen many times during our life span that change the way we look at things. Some incidents inspire us, while some hurt us. Some prompt us to do things to change the way we live while others just keep us in status quo. Some people don’t understand why things have to change but don’t you know that change is the only thing that is constant. Some people embrace the change yet others struggle with it and go through a life time of depression.

So why is there so much pain? And what purpose does it serve? Well the optimist attitude to it is that it makes you appreciate all that is when there is no pain. It gives you a whole new perspective on life. But have you noticed that when you are in pain – it could be both physical or emotional or both – you behave differently and you interact with different people. Not only that – you don’t even want to interact with the people who used to know you when you were free of pain. Is it because you don’t want them to see this other side of you?

So why do we get hurt? If you ask any person who looks at life from a philosophical point of view – they will tell you that hurt happens when you get attached to that person, experience or outcome. Don’t get attached, then you won’t have expectations and so no disappointments. But in real life – is that even possible? Actually it is. It is possible – does not mean it is easy. It is normal for humans to be attached to the fruits of their labor. That is how we have been raised.

Herein lies the secret to happiness – The moment you start doing something because you want to and not because you have to, the moment you do it without expecting anything in return – it all works out and the reward is usually much greater. Its a hard lesson to learn and some people get it and figure it out right away but there are many who have been living a long life and have yet to figure that out.